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2010 Nissan Maxima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Maxima years

Owner complaints for the 2010 Nissan Maxima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 99.

About this comparison →
275Owner complaints

Model-year median: 99

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
129
200778
2008339
2009275
2010106
2011107
201262
2013
Compare all Maxima years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Steering
158Electrical System
79Suspension
29Unknown Or Other
24Engine
20
All reported categories
Air Bags
15Power Train
15Structure
11Vehicle Speed Control
7Seats
6Electronic Stability Control (esc)
4Visibility
4Visibility/wiper
4Engine And Engine Cooling
3Equipment Adaptive/mobility
3Service Brakes
3Tires
3Wheels
3Exterior Lighting
2Fuel/propulsion System
2Latches/locks/linkages
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

238 reports with mileage · 37 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 158 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 79 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Suspension. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports2 fire reports8 injury reports

Equipment Adaptive/mobility complaints

3 reports
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70,000 miles · Jan 6, 2015
Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobilitySteering

ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK - (ESCL) FAILED. CAR WILL NOT START. KEY FOB IS OPERATIONAL. KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2009-2010 NISSANS. UNITS ARE DEFECTIVE, NISSAN NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR 2010 PARTS. FAILURE WILL HAPPEN INSTANTLY, AND WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED ANYTIME ANYPLACE. VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FO…

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ELECTRONIC STEERING COLUMN LOCK - (ESCL) FAILED. CAR WILL NOT START. KEY FOB IS OPERATIONAL. KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2009-2010 NISSANS. UNITS ARE DEFECTIVE, NISSAN NOT WILLING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR 2010 PARTS. FAILURE WILL HAPPEN INSTANTLY, AND WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED ANYTIME ANYPLACE. VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. REPAIR COST IS >$1,000.00

NHTSA ODI #10670493

72,000 miles · Jan 5, 2015
Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobilitySteering

I TRIED TO START MY CAR THIS MORNING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS YELLOW LIGHT THAT SAID KEY AND WHEN I TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE 2009 MAXIMAS FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE THAT I HAVE - ITS DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING. NO EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS GIVEN FOR …

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I TRIED TO START MY CAR THIS MORNING BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. THERE WAS YELLOW LIGHT THAT SAID KEY AND WHEN I TRIED TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE NOTHING HAPPENED. THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE 2009 MAXIMAS FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUE THAT I HAVE - ITS DUE TO THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKING. NO EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS GIVEN FOR THE 2010'S WHICH IS WRONG BECAUSE CLEARLY THERE STILL A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING COLUMN THAT WAS NOT FIXED FOR THE 2010 MODELS BUT NISSAN STATED THAT IS WAS INFACT FIXED AND NO WARRANTY/DISCOUNT/ETC WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE 2010S. I WILL HAVE TO PAY OVER $1000 FOR FAULTY DESIGN DUE TO NISSAN. NEVER BUYING ANOTHER NISSAN AGAIN! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670139

129,200 miles · Sep 23, 2014
Electrical SystemEquipment Adaptive/mobility

NO ACTIVATION OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. AFTER FOLLOWING ALL TROUBLE SHOOTING ADVICE IN THE CAR'S MANUAL, I TOWED THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE THEY FLAGGED AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT (PART# 487009N00B) AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS…

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NO ACTIVATION OF THE IGNITION SYSTEM. AFTER FOLLOWING ALL TROUBLE SHOOTING ADVICE IN THE CAR'S MANUAL, I TOWED THE CAR TO DEALER WHERE THEY FLAGGED AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING LOCK CONTROL UNIT (PART# 487009N00B) AND IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE VEHICLE ANTI-THEFT IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. THE COST TO REPLACE THIS UNIT WAS $1041.17. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THE 2010 NISSAN MAXIMA. THIS WAS A FULLY FUNCTIONING CAR (EXCEPT FOR ANTI-THEFT CIRCUIT GLITCH) THAT LEFT ME STRANDED IN A SITUATION WHERE MY CAR COULD HAVE BEEN TOWED BY THE CITY. NISSAN PROMOTES HOW SAFE, RELIABLE AND ECONOMICAL THEIR CARS ARE, BUT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM CAN DISABLE THE VEHICLE LEAVING DRIVER STRANDED WITH ONLY ONE OPTION, WHICH IS, TO BE TOWED TO A DEALER BECAUSE OF ANT-THEFT SYSTEM GLITCHES. THIS IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY TO FEMALE DRIVERS.I FEEL THAT NISSAN SHOULD COME UP WITH AN OVERRIDE CODE OR DEVICE THAT WILL ALLOW A DRIVER TO ESCAPE FROM POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT WERE CREATED BY NISSAN'S VEHICLE IMMOBILIZER SYSTEM. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CAR IS FULLY FUNCTIONAL EXCEPT FOR AN ANTI-THEFT IMMOBILIZING CIRCUIT FALSELY TELLING THAT THE VEHICLE IS NOT READY TO START WHEN IT IS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY FLAW IN THEIR VEHICLE SECURITY SYSTEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10638299

Official recalls

1

09V358000 · Suspension

Sep 16, 2009

NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 AND 2010 ALTIMA AND MAXIMA PASSENGER CARS. THE UPPER FRONT STRUT INSULATORS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT INSULATOR TO CRACK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE STRUT INSULATOR IS CRACKED, THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR THE STRUT ROD TO COME OUT OF ITS MOUNTING POSITION, WHICH COULD AFFECT VEHICLE STABILITY AND INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: NISSAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FRONT STRUT INSULATORS FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-NISSAN1 (1-800-647-7261).

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.